33 SKETCHES IN THE HUNTING FIELD. 



current anecdotes which have not been detrimentally 

 influenced by such a consideration. 



And it must not be supposed that the only men who 

 sell horses are those who ride straight. A steady-going 

 nag is of more value to many than a steeplechaser of 

 the highest character, and when Tom has ridden a 

 horse for the season he has not to look far for a 

 purchaser who will give what is comparatively a long 

 price. In respect to riding, it must be admitted that 

 Tom, junior, does more than his father ever did, and 

 were it not for the faith the elder man has in his son's 

 common sense, he would be a little uneasy now and 

 then at Tom's intimacy with young Brookley, the 

 steeplechase jockey, and son of the trainer whose 

 stables are near the kennels of the JMeadowmere 

 hounds. 



Young Tom likes nothing better than a mount on one 

 of Brookley's horses as it takes its morning gallop on 

 the Downs, or perhaps goes for a turn over the jumps 

 laid out on Coverton Common ; and last year he turned 

 his experience to good account by winning the Farmers' 

 Plate at the Meadowmere Meeting, and selling the 

 horse at a very decent figure. But Tom, junior, is not 

 likely to ruin himself on the turf (nor, for the matter of 

 that, is Brookley the sort of man to lead him astray), 

 and already has shown his ability to lend a useful hand 

 and a shrewd head to the management of affairs at the 

 farm. 



If you want to please Tom Maizele}-, son.e c\'y whtn 



